Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Cortlandt
Trash Day
Mondays or Tuesdays, depending on your assigned collection route zone.
Recycling
Townwide paper recycling is collected on Wednesdays; commingled containers (plastics, glass, and metals) are collected on Thursdays.
Yard Waste
Organic yard waste and seasonal leaf/branch collections follow designated seasonal schedule dates published in the annual sanitation calendar.
Set Out Time
By 6:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Residential trash and recycling collections are funded through your annual Town property taxes, whereas municipal water services are billed separately.
Billing Cycle
Included in Property Taxes
Accepted Methods
Online, Mail, In-Person, Drop Box
Pro Tip / Discount
Senior citizen, disability, and veteran property tax exemptions are available for eligible residents through the Town Assessor's Office.
Any (Must have 2 substantial handles) Bin (Trash)
Containers must not exceed 45 gallons or a total weight of 70 pounds. Garbage must be curbside before 7:00 a.m. (6:00 a.m. during summer months). Bungee cords on lids are strictly prohibited.
Accepted Items
- ✓Household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable materials
- ✓Pizza boxes (food-stained paper)
Any (Clearly marked for recycling) Bin (Recycling)
Paper is collected town-wide on Wednesday. Commingled glass, metal, and plastic are collected town-wide on Thursday. All containers must be rinsed out, and caps should be discarded in the trash.
Accepted Items
- ✓Office paper, mail, and flattened cardboard (Wednesdays)
- ✓Metal food and beverage cans (Thursdays)
- ✓Plastic containers marked 1-7 (Thursdays)
- ✓Clear, green, or brown glass jars (Thursdays)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic shopping bags
- ✕Styrofoam packing material
- ✕Waxed paper
- ✕Food-stained paper
- ✕Hard-cover books
- ✕Hangers and scrap metal
Yard Waste Bin
Yard waste must be placed in brown biodegradable paper bags or loose in a garbage can. Plastic bags are completely banned. Branches up to 10 feet require a scheduled chipper appointment.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Tied and bundled brush (under 4 feet)
- ✓Large branches (by appointment)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Scheduled Fridays based on your Route
Placement
Place items curbside no later than 7:00 a.m. (6:00 a.m. in summer). For pull-out couches, the metal frame must be removed first. All metal products must be piled separately.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture and desks
- ✓ Carpeting and padding (cut in 3x9 strips and taped)
- ✓ Washing machines and dryers
- ✓ Bagged mattresses
- ✓ Metal fencing (no cement bottoms)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Railroad ties
- ✕ Logs and concrete
- ✕ Hazardous materials
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris (C&D)
- ✕ Pianos
Standard bulk is free. Special items (Freon appliances, electronics, and tires) require an upfront fee ($10 for TVs/Freon, $5 for small electronics) paid to the Sanitation Division to receive a special disposal sticker.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
When a holiday falls during the week, all standard collection services are moved forward by one day. For example, a Monday holiday pushes Monday's pickup to Tuesday, Tuesday's to Wednesday, paper to Thursday, and commingle to Friday.
Yard Waste Exception
Scheduled Friday bulk trash pickups and courtesy brush chipping services are typically canceled entirely on weeks containing a major holiday.
Residents are encouraged to use the free Recycle Coach app to receive direct notifications regarding specific holiday route adjustments in the Town of Cortlandt.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Summer
Late May - AugustSanitation summer hours typically begin immediately after Memorial Day. All trash, recycling, and bulk items must be placed curbside by 6:00 a.m. instead of the usual 7:00 a.m. to accommodate the earlier collection routes during hot weather.
Fall
October - NovemberWhen bagging leaves and yard debris for fall cleanup, ensure you only use brown biodegradable paper bags or leave the waste loose in an open garbage can. Using any type of plastic bag will result in a missed pickup.
Winter
December - FebruaryDuring heavy snowstorms, garbage and recycling services may be canceled or delayed. Make sure your bins are clearly visible and not buried in snowbanks. Check the Recycle Coach app for real-time weather-related schedule shifts.
Local Tips & Community Info
Department of Environmental Services (DES) Sanitation Operations
Within the Town of Cortlandt, the Department of Environmental Services (DES) handles the intricate logistics of residential refuse collection. Operating out of the main municipal complex on Roa Hook Road, the sanitation division provides tailored services to properties outside the incorporated villages. Residents are assigned specific collection days based on their street location, and maintaining the neighborhood's aesthetic appeal relies heavily on homeowners adhering to the town's published waste disposal protocols.
Receptacle Constraints and Curbside Placement Rules
To prevent workplace injuries among sanitation crews, the Town Board has established strict limitations on garbage containers. All household trash must be housed in standard metal or heavy-duty plastic cans that do not exceed 32 gallons in capacity. Furthermore, no single can may weigh more than 50 pounds when fully loaded. Homeowners must ensure their bins are situated at the curb no later than 6:00 a.m. on their scheduled pickup day, while overnight staging should not occur before dusk on the preceding evening.
Dual-Stream Segregation for Westchester Compliance
Cortlandt enforces a rigorous dual-stream recycling mandate, keeping in step with broader Westchester County environmental objectives. This system demands the total separation of paper products from commingled glass, plastics, and metals. Clean corrugated cardboard, newspapers, and office paper are typically collected on a separate schedule—often Wednesdays—from your rigid plastic containers and glass jars. Any commingling of these two distinct streams will trigger a rejection tag, leaving the unsorted materials on your curb.
Specialized Bulk and Freon Appliance Recovery
Discarding cumbersome furniture or large appliances requires a bit of proactive coordination. Homeowners looking to throw out an old sofa, mattress, or wooden desk must consult their annual DES sanitation brochure to identify their specific bulk pickup weeks. White goods such as refrigerators, dehumidifiers, and air conditioning units are handled differently due to their hazardous refrigerants. You must contact the DES directly to schedule a specialized appliance pickup and secure the required Freon extraction permit.
E-Waste Depot on Roa Hook Road
Because New York State strictly prohibits the disposal of electronic waste in standard landfills, Cortlandt residents cannot place televisions, computer monitors, or peripheral devices out with their weekly trash. Instead, the town provides a dedicated e-waste drop-off depot located at the DES facility on Roa Hook Road. This site is accessible on designated weekdays and specific Saturdays, requiring visitors to present a valid driver's license as proof of local residency.
Organic Debris and Biodegradable Bagging Requirements
Managing seasonal yard debris is a shared responsibility. The sanitation division conducts scheduled sweeps for organic waste, but strictly prohibits the use of plastic bags for this purpose. Leaves, grass clippings, and small twigs must be packed into biodegradable paper lawn bags or placed in an unlined, open-top garbage can. Larger branches must be cut to lengths of four feet or less, tied tightly with biodegradable twine, and stacked neatly near the roadway edge to ensure rapid collection.
Drop-off Facilities
Village of Buchanan E-Waste Drop Off
218 Westchester Avenue, Buchanan, NY 10511
Materials Accepted
Westchester County Household Material Recovery Facility (H-MRF)
15 Woods Road, Valhalla, NY 10595
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there specific size restrictions for my garbage cans in Cortlandt?
Yes. Town regulations mandate that all household refuse must be placed in containers no larger than 32 gallons, and the total weight of the loaded can must not exceed 50 pounds.
Can I mix my cardboard boxes with my plastic recycling?
No. Cortlandt utilizes a dual-stream system, meaning paper and cardboard must be collected completely separately from your commingled glass, metal, and plastic containers.
Where am I supposed to throw away an old computer?
Electronics are banned from curbside trash. Residents must transport all e-waste directly to the DES drop-off facility located on Roa Hook Road during their posted operating hours.